20190120005769A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Navion NAVION D · Patterson, LA · January 20, 2019

Date: January 20, 2019 · 14:02 local
Place: Patterson, LA
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N384TL
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA19CA115
Reported as: Navion Navion D
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,327 total1,000 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N384TLRegistered now · Navion NAVION DS/N NAV-4-1384 · Built 1948 Airframe modelNavion NAVION D Engine modelContinental O-470 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Received occurrence report for aircraft reporting a problem with its vertical stabilizer. Talked to the pilot and found out that when he was approaching to land at Patterson airport, noticed a flock of turkey buzzards circling at the end of the runway. He dived to miss the birds and noticed a guide wire or cable but to late, and the vertical stabilizer hit it, ripping off the vertical stabilizer and rudder as an assembly. He called ATC in new orleans declaring an emergency and request a slow turn back to the gonzales airport due to handling problems. After landing at a higher speed then normal and no flaps he contacted the NTSB. He filled out the NTSB requested reports and is waiting for maintenance personnel to inspect and repair the aircraft as necessary.

Traveled to the airport and inspected the aircraft the vertical stabilizer and rudder was torn off the fuselage and has not been found. Took pictures and placed in accident file. Emailed pictures to the NTSB as requested.

As the FAA filed it

RECEIVED OCCURRENCE REPORT FOR AIRCRAFT REPORTING A PROBLEM WITH ITS VERTICAL STABILIZER. TALKED TO THE PILOT AND FOUND OUT THAT WHEN HE WAS APPROACHING TO LAND AT PATTERSON AIRPORT, NOTICED A FLOCK OF TURKEY BUZZARDS CIRCLING AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. HE DIVED TO MISS THE BIRDS AND NOTICED A GUIDE WIRE OR CABLE BUT TO LATE, AND THE VERTICAL STABILIZER HIT IT, RIPPING OFF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER AS AN ASSEMBLY. HE CALLED ATC IN NEW ORLEANS DECLARING AN EMERGENCY AND REQUEST A SLOW TURN BACK TO THE GONZALES AIRPORT DUE TO HANDLING PROBLEMS. AFTER LANDING AT A HIGHER SPEED THEN NORMAL AND NO FLAPS HE CONTACTED THE NTSB. HE FILLED OUT THE NTSB REQUESTED REPORTS AND IS WAITING FOR MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO INSPECT AND REPAIR THE AIRCRAFT AS NECESSARY.

TRAVELED TO THE AIRPORT AND INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER WAS TORN OFF THE FUSELAGE AND HAS NOT BEEN FOUND. TOOK PICTURES AND PLACED IN ACCIDENT FILE. EMAILED PICTURES TO THE NTSB AS REQUESTED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB GAA19CA115Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportPatterson, LAThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines while making an evasive maneuver to avoid birds.Jan 20, 2019 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N384TL · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20260830011309ILanding: Touchdown · Gonzales, LAAt 10:59 on 08/30/2026, a Navion D landed at Louisiana Regional Airport (reg) in Gonzales, LA with nose gear partially extended and nose wheel turned to the right. Nose gear collapsed upon landing resulting in prop strike and possible front end damage. During…Aug 30, 2026 · Minor damage